Electroluminescent ceiling panel



3 0 31 M 0 000000000000000 00000 s m 00 000000000000000 000000 m 000 ooooooooooooooo 0000000 nT t 0 A 0000 oaoacoooooooauo 0000000 E OQOQ OOOOQUOOQDOOOOO 0000 00 00 0000 000 0000000 0000 0 00 00 00000 000000 E 0000 0 0 000 0000000 000000 W 0000 000000000000 00 000000 R 0 0 00000000 00000 000000 E 00 00000 000 00000 000000 :08 y 0000 oooocoooaouoooo 000000 0000 00 000 0000000 0000 or W 000 OOOOOOOOOO @0900 m 0000 ODOOOOOQOOOQOOU 000000 Y 0000 000000000000000 00000 y B 0000 000 00 00A00000 00000 a 000 900 R DR 00 oooao ooocooooo coo 0 OQOOOOQOOQOODO o ol\o okf bli t b\lll u July 11, 1961 R. F. VAN DEN HOUTEN ETAL ELECTROLUMINESCENT CEILING PANEL Filed Dec. 11, 1957 Unite This invention generally relates to ceiling panels and more particularly to a panel designed to be used on ceilings and utilizing the principle of electroluminescence.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel ceiling panel having qualities favorably comparing with conventional ceiling panels and further utilizing therewith the principle of electroluminescence.

It is a further object of this invention to provide ceilings which emit light therefrom due to the actuation of phosphorescent. material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide ceiling panels of such structure that they will absorb sound and pass air for heating or air conditioning.

In accordance with the above stated objects of this invention, below is disclosed an arrangement for ceiling panels comprising a phosphorescent layer of material having attached on both sides thereof an electrically conductive layer of material across which an electric source is connected. The resulting electric field created in the phosphorescent material will cause it to glow, thereby lighting the room. It is contemplated that an expandable polystyrene material shall be used for the panel. Such materials are commercially available and are noted for their excellent physical, thermal, and electrical properties.

In general, when certain materials, particularly, phosphors, are placed in a fluctuating electric field under proper conditions, they are excited to luminescence and will remain in this condition as long as the exciting field persists. This effect is known as electroluminescence and is not to be confused with fluorescence where a gas is electrically excited which in turn illuminates a phosphorescent material.

It is submitted, that the novelty of this invention lies in a new construction in ceiling panels. The resultant structure of this invention provides a ceiling possessing all the desirable qualities of conventional ceilings and featuring the phenomena of electroluminescence along therewith.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a cross sectional view of one arrangement of the panel of this invention in operative condition and suspended from the beams of a house;

FIGURE 2 shows an elevational view of the ceiling; and

FIGURE 3 illustrates the general principles of this invention.

With continuing reference to the drawing where FIG- URE 3 is used to illustrate the principles of this invention, numeral 10 represents a polystyrene material having a fine aluminum wire screen cast therein and connected to an electric source as shown at 14. The aluminum screen is designated as 12. On top of the polystyrene slab 10 is place a phosphorescent layer 16 which is covered by an aluminum foil 18 which is electrically connected to a source at 20. If the electric source be direct current, the phosphorescent material 16 will emit a glow when the initial surge goes through phosphorescent layer 16. However, upon saturation by the direct current, the glow will disappear. If a constant glow is desired from tates Patent ICC the phosphorescent layer 16, an alternating current source is preferred so that the phosphorescent layer will not become saturated. The action of these layers is directly analogous to a flat plate capacitor which becomes saturated by direct current. The complete circuit through the phosphorescent layer 16 may easily be traced from the aluminum foil 18 to the connection 20 wherefrom the circuit is carried to the electric source by lead 22. The second terminal of the electric source is connected to lead 24 which electrically communicates at 14 with aluminum screen 12. The polystyrene slab 10 has an aluminum powder admix therefore making it conductive and enabling the circuit to be completed to the phosphorescent layer 16.

Referring now specifically to the embodiment in FIG- URE 1, numeral 30 represents the polystyrene slab with the aluminum powder admix, this slab being of a conductive nature. A fine aluminum screen 32 has been cast in the slab 30 and is shown electrically connected to 21 aluminum bolt and washer 34 and 36. Surrounding the aluminum bolt is insulating material 38. It is contemplated that the bolt be fixed within the insulating washer 38 but connected to the aluminum screen 32. Shown connected to the outer portion of bolt 34 is a terminal 40 which on its end, not shown, would be connected to preferably an alternating current electric source.

On top of the aluminum polystyrene layer 30 is a second polystyrene layer 42 having a phosphorescent admix and insulative properties. An aluminum foil 44 is attached to the phosphorescent layer 42, a second aluminum bolt 46 is cast in the polystyrene phosphorescent layer 42 with a portion of the aluminum bolt 46 electrically in contact with the aluminum foil 44 at 48. An electrical lead 50 is electrically connected to the aluminum bolt 46 and continues on to the opposite terminal of the alternating current source. A complete circuit through the phosphorescent layer from the alternating current source will now be apparent. From the alternating current source, the circuit proceeds through lead 40, aluminum bolt 34 to aluminum screen 32. Since the polystyrene aluminum layer 30 is conductive the circuit will be completed to the boundary 52 between the polystyrene aluminum layer 30 and the polystyrene phosphorescent layer 42. From the other side of the alternating current source the circuit will proceed through lead 50 to aluminum foil 44. A resultant electric field will be set up across the phosphorescent layer from the aluminum foil 44 to the boundary 52 thereby exciting the phosphorescent material to luminescence.

Each panel is provided with an electrically conductive pin 54 at its outer edge 56 for connection to an adjacent panel 58. All the panels will be equipped with electrically conductive sockets 60 which are readily adaptable to electrically cooperate with a pin 54 which is in turn electrically conected to the aluminum screen 32. Like wise, the aluminum foil is intended to complete a circuit as by the overlapping of the aluminum foil 44 at 62.

A nail 64 is shown afiixed in the insulating polystyrene layer 42 holding the panel to a house beam 66. Using the supporting means, it is of utmost importance to make sure that the metallic nail 64 does not short-circuit the path between the polystyrene aluminum layer 30 which is conducting and the conducting aluminum foil 44. These particular supporting means are obviously not the only ones available for this panel and numerous other means would no doublt be apparent to one skilled in the art.

A recessed line is shown at 68 on the bottom surface of the aluminum conducting layer 30. The purpose of this line is to visually define individual tile members in the panel. It is thought that this dummy joint appearance will make the ceiling panel more attractive and therefore 3 add utility to this invention in that appearance is of prime importance in a device of this type.

Continuous holes 70 are shown through the aluminuni foil 44, in sulating polystyrene layer 42 and conducting polystyrene layer.38. These holes 70 may either be punched, drilled, or cast originally. They serve the function of more efiiciently absorbing sound and furthermore, may be utilized to pass air for heating or air conditioning.

In accordance with this device, most any alternating current voltage may be impressed between insulated leads 40 and 50. That is to say, that the voltage may be widely varied from 110 volts to 2400 volts, the light intensity being dependent on the particular voltage value. The intensity of the phosphorescent layer is further dependent upon the frequency of the exciting source which is not to be necessarily limited to the ordinary 60 cycles per second.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A ceiling panel comprising a layer of electrical insulating electroluminescent material, an aluminum foil attached to one side of said electroluminescent material, an electrically conductive light transmissive layer attached to the other side of said electroluminescent material, electric source means connected between said aluminum foil and said electrically conductive layer and a plurality of continuous apertures through said layers.

2. A ceiling panel comprising a layer of electrical insulating electroluminescent material, an aluminum foil attached to one side of said electroluminescent material, an aluminum screen attached to the other side of said electroluminescent material, terminals secured to said aluminum foil and said aluminum screen, electric source means connected between said terminals for creating a field across said electroluminescent material, and a plurality of arranged continuous apertures through said foil, layer and screen.

3. The combination of claim 2 including pin means electrically connected to the aluminum screen, and socket means electrically connected to the aluminum screen, said pin and socket means adapted to electrically cooperate so that a series of panels may be utilized.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said panels include dummy joints in the form of intersecting recessed lines along the panel for lending a particular appearanc to the panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,716,298 Spielmann Aug. 30, 1955 2,792,447 Kazan May 14, 1957 2,809,316 Jeges Oct. 8, 1957 2,818,531 Peek Dec. 31, 1957 m rk 

